Israelis, not Palestinians are Holy Land aggressors

Israelis, not Palestinians are Holy Land aggressors
EDITOR:
I am writing in response to a letter in the June 11 issue of The Vindicator, "Palestinians should not be allowed to destroy Israel."
In this letter, the author claims the media is one sided and depicts the Palestinians as the aggressors of the violence in the Holy Land. However, it is obvious that the author of that letter may have had the wool pulled over his eyes by the media and has not followed the recent events in the area in which hundreds of Palestinians have died at the hands of the Israeli army since Ariel Sharon's visit to al-Haram al-Sharif sparked months of violence and brought the four years of progress made in the peace process to an abrupt halt.
Now as prime minister of Israel, Sharon has implemented a government that has declared zero tolerance for the Palestinians, and the peace process has suffered because of this.
Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavem Zeevi was even quoted as saying he "wants to cleanse the West Bank of Palestinians." and that "the Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza have to be transferred." These actions and rhetoric by the Israeli government are blatant signs of disregard for the peace process and prove that Israel is not and may never be ready to live peacefully with the Palestinians.
Therefore, the Palestinian people are not likely to make the same mistake they made in 1948 and 1967 and watch calmly as the Israelis attempt to occupy more land and move more Palestinians out of their homes.
LANEEN NISER
Youngstown
Meeting deadlines part of students' responsibilities
EDITOR:
I was interested to read the letter about high school students attending colleges during their high school years to receive both high school and college credit (SB140 or Post Secondary Option). The writer was upset that Youngstown State University didn't accept her child as she missed the deadline.
I am a local guidance counselor who uses the SB140 program a great deal. It is a great opportunity for the mature student who can handle both high school and college, and I have been extremely pleased with the cooperation I have received from the staff at YSU.
The state has set up a timeline and deadlines, and as high school counselors, we must follow these regulations. High schools inform the students of the opportunity to take advantage of this option, and it is up to the students and parents to meet the deadlines.
I applaud YSU for following the state's guidelines.
MARILYN PARISE
Warren
X The writer is a guidance counselor at Howland High School.
To avoid food poisoning, cook burgers properly
EDITOR:
Summer is the season for hamburger consumption, and ground meat should always be thoroughly cooked, since E. coli infects some of the cattle slaughtered in this country. If the bacteria endure to the dinner table, serious food poisoning could result. Still, just as undercooked meat is risky, so is preheated fare, warns Science News.
Recently, a microbiologist with the Department of Agriculture made hamburgers with tainted meat, frying them to an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit for about eight minutes. Although this was enough to kill the E. coli in some patties, 12 minutes -- i.e., more heat -- was needed to do so in preheated patties.
Less-than-lethal warming, it was deduced, actually strengthens the microbes' "thermal tolerance." In other words, preheating makes them more hardy, requiring more heat to do them in.
WILLIAM DAUENHAUER
Wickcliffe